XN000022-1976-09-24 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1976.

FACTORY PROPRIETOR FINED FOR EMPLOY ING WOMEN

TO WORK ON A REST DAY *******

THE PROPRIETOR OF A FACTORY IN KWAI CHUNG WAS TAKEN TO COURT RECENTLY FOR EMPLOYING WOMEN FOR WORK ON A REST DAY AND WAS FINED THE MAXIMUM OF $5,000.

THE CASE CAME TO LIGHT WHEN A LABOUR INSPECTOR OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT VISITED THE FACTORY ON SUNDAY, MAY 16, AND FOUND 82 WOMEN WORKING IN THE KNITTING SECTION.

ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, THE PROPRIETOR WAS GIVEN THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WHEN HE APPEARED BEFORE THE MAGISTRATE, MR. A.G.T. WANE, AT TSUEN WAN MAGISTRACY.

IT WAS ALSO LEARNED THAT THE PROPRIETOR HAD THREE PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS OF A SIMILAR NATURE.

ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, THE EMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN TO WORK ON THE IR REST DAY IS A CONTRAVENTION OF THE FACTORIES AND INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS REGULATIONS,

+THE FACT THAT THE PROPRIETOR IN THIS CASE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE MAXIMUM PENALTY WAS DUE PROBABLY TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF WOMEN WORKERS INVOLVED AS WELL AS THE THREE PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS WHICH REFLECTED THE PROPRIETOR'S DISREGARD FOR THE LABOUR LAWS IN HONG KONG, + HE ADDED.

RICE IMPORT QUOTA FOR FOURTH QUARTER

*****

THE RICE IMPORT QUOTA FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 1976 HAS BEEN FIXED AT 91,696.5 METRIC TONS, THE COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCED TODAY (FRIDAY).

THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (TRADE) MR. PAUL WONG, EXPLAINED THAT THE NEW QUOTA LARGER THAN THE PREVIOUS QUARTER'S QUOTA BY 6,709.5 METRIC TONS TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE AMOUNT OF RICE STOCKS IN HONG KONG AND THE OVERSEAS SUPPLY SITUATION.

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HONG KONG IMPORTED A TOTAL OF 238,220 METRIC TONS OF RICE SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR. OF THIS AMOUNT, CHINA SUPPLIED 137,260 METRIC TONS, THAILAND 75,650 METRIC TONS AND THE BALANCE WAS MAINLY FROM AUSTRALIA.

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